Eviction Protest Marches to Vanguard Properties

Nearly 200 people marched to Vanguard Property’s offices on 21st and Mission this morning to protest the potential Ellis Act eviction of Benito Santiago from his longtime home in the Duboce Triangle. As numerous signs and chants made clear, the landlord evicting Santiago, listed “Pineapple Boy LLC,” is Michael Harrison, co-founder of Vanguard Property group.

“We’re going to make it known that Pineapple Boy LLC is evicting a senior who is also disabled,” said Santiago, a music teacher to special needs students in the San Francisco Unified School District. “These people hiding behind company names will be put out in the open about what they’re doing to our community.”

Santiago and the two housemates with whom he shares his Duboce Street home were first offered a buyout of $20,000, but when they didn’t accept the offer they were given an eviction notice in December of 2013. As a senior-citizen, Santiago was able to extend the date of his eviction until the upcoming December. READ MORE.